Tiger Junkies-D-Beat Street Rock 'n' Rollers (Re-Release)

Hells Headbangers
2013

Punk and metal, metal and punk. While you could argue that they are two vastly different genres, with two distinct set of rules, when you hear an album like "D-Beat Street Rock 'n' Rollers" it sure does seem as if their destinies were intertwined from the get-go. It's very likely that they both crawled forth from the same primordial slime given how well they compliment each other. And when it comes to the Tiger Junkies, and this (originally-released in 2008) full-length album, that's exactly what you get-punk and metal happily thrashing along together in marital bliss!  Joel Grind  (Toxic Holocaust) and Yasuyuki Suzuki (Abigail, Barbatos) are the two men behind this band/side-project which was started back in 2004. Back then the two guys bounded over a shared love of old-school punk and hardcore bands with the end result being the release of their 2006 debut EP, "Sick of Tiger" (which is included here as a bonus). On that EP, and every recording that followed, it was just the two musicians who handle all of the instruments and (from the sounds of it) swap of all lead vocals. The "Sick of Tiger" EP was just the start for this pair as there was much more crossover material to follow. After the 2006 release the group recorded this 2008 album, a 2011 split with Blüdwülf and Children of Technology (their two cuts from that split are also included as extras on this re-release) and the 2013 EP, "Green Tea or Die". In addition to their original material, which covers a lot of ground from punk-fueled heavy metal to crossover thrash, the pair choose two covers for this album. The two covers, "Porno Slut" (The Exploited) and "Satanik Metal Fucking Hell" (Abigail) are ideal choices as they perfectly blend in with the overall vibe of this album. Joel Grind remastered this extended version, but (in keeping with the overall spirit of crossover albums) the sound still carries an underground vibe. So, have no fear that it's suddenly some crystal clear modern production. Nope, the production is golden as it gives this album an almost 80's feel while it's also clear enough that it doesn't sound like some third or forth generation tape. You do remember tapes right? And tape trading? If so then this album is custom-fitted to the exact specifications of a time and place when groups like Discharge, Warfare, D.R.I., Agnostic Front, C.O.C, English Dogs, Cro-Mags, Venom ("Welcome To Hell" era), Tank, Cryptic Slaughter, The Exploited and Broken Bones were all the rage and punks and metalheads stood side by side. This album is as good as gold for those who remember the roots of crossover or even those who enjoy their heavy metal punk-flavored. This extended re-release will be in heavy rotation in my small corner of the world as it's just to good to ignore!.